Fender or life-guard



(No lModel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

y EEENTEOENE; "EENEEE 0E LIEE GUARD.

No. 536,806; Patente-d Apr. 2, 1895.

mi mams Pin- Rs co pHoro-1.1mm. wwwa-ron, D c

. 2 sneenssheet 2'. H. yHE1\IIHORNE. FENDER 0R LIFE GUARD. Patented Apr. 2, 1895.

(-No Model.)

sition ready to operate.

'UNiTnn STATES PATENT Ormes.

HENRY HENTI-IORNE, OF NEVARK, OHIO.

FENDER OR LIFE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,806, dated April 2, 1895.

Application filed June 25,1894. Serial No. 515,553. (No model.) l

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY HENTHORNE, of Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fenders or Life-Guards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fenders or life-guards forlocomotives and motor-cars, the object being to provide a fender or life-guard that shall not only be capable of clearing the track of any obstruction in advance of the locomotive or motor, but shall also be capable of catching a person or animal in front of the locomotive or motor without any liability of the person or object,caught by the fender or life-guard, rolling o r being thrown therefrom.

With this object in view, and to the end of attaining certain other advantages, hereinafter specified,l my invention consists in certain features of construction, and in combinations of parts, hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l shows my improved fender or life-guard in position upon a motor-car, showing the operating-parts of the fender or life-guard in po- Fig. 2 is a perspective View, showing my improved fender or life-guard with the working parts in position after operation. Figg is a side elevation, partly in section, of the fender or life-guard showing the working parts in position to operate. Fig. 4 isa view, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, with portions broken away and in section to more clearly show the construction and to reduce the size of the figure.

My improved fender or life-guard comprises preferably two triangular frames A located such a distance apart that they, in the application of the fender or life-guard, shall come or approximately come in line with the rails R of the railway-track. Said frames, at the bottom and outer and inner ends are preferably connected together and braced apart by rods B and said frames are also connected at the top and inner end by means lof a rod C.

A bail-shaped frame E extends from the one side-frame to the other side-frame of the fender or guard, and has its end-members e pivotally secured, as at e', to said frames, whereby said bailshaped frame is capable of oscillation, the movement of said frame inwardly being limited by the diagonally arranged member of the triangular frame A.

A piece of suitable fabric or material G extends from the upper end fender or guard' downwardly to the' central member of bailshaped frame E. The length of said piece of fabric or' material is such that it will accommodate the oscillation or movement of frame E outwardly in the direction of the rails of the track, the rails serving as stops to limit the oscillation of said frame in that direction, and the length ot' said piece of fabric or material is preferably such that when the aforesaid bail-shaped frame is in its outwardlytilted position as shown in Figs. l, 3 and 4, said fabric or material shall be stretched taut, or approximately so, and so that when said bail-shaped frame isin its inwardly-tilted position as shown in Fig. 2, said fabric or material shall be loose and form a pocket, as shown in said figure. c

A roller I, extending from one side-frame A to the other, is supported by said frames a suitable distance inwardly of the connection of bail-shaped frame E with said frames, and a curtain or apron K is suitably secured to said rollerysaid apron or curtain being adapted to vbe wound upon or paid out by said roller according as the latter is rotated in the Vone direction or the other, the one trunnion of said roller being preferably extended a suitable distance outside of the supporting frame, as at I', said outer end of the trunnion referred to being suitably shaped to receive a crank for turning the roller. Curtain or apron K leads from roller I outwardly to and over the central member of the bail-shaped frame E and over Ithe fabric G connected with said bail-'shaped frame. Curtain or apron K, at its outer end, and near its side edges, is suitably connected, preferably by means of chains L,with spring-actuated spools or drums M suitably supported at the upper end of the device, said chains or flexible 'connections being wound upon or paid out by said drums according as the latter are rotated in the one direction or the other, the springs M of said drums or spools acting in the direction to rotate the drums in the direction to wind up the aforesaid chains orflexible connections.'

Bythe construction hereinbefore described,

zo it will be observed that when the working parts are in their normal position, as shown in Figs. l, 3 and 4, with bail-shaped frameE in its outwardly oscillated position, with fabric G taut or approximately so,and with curtain orapron K wound Vupon roller I, some suitable means for holding the parts in the position indicated, against the action of springs M mustbe provided, and the lockingmeans preferably provided for the purpose zo comprises a dog 0 suitably secured to each of the chains or connections L and projecting laterally througha longitudinalislot a. in theinclined or diagonally arranged member of the adjacent side-framcAof the fender or guard:

` The arrangement of parts is such that when the Working parts, hereinbefore described, are in their normal position, as shownin Figs;

1, 3 and 4, the aforesaid dogs on chains or members L arein position at or near thelower 3o end ofthe slots a in frames'A and the work# ing parts are held in such position by means of latches or locking-levers-P fulcrumed, as at P', to frames A. Levers or latchesP have hook-shaped arms P2 adapted to engage dogs and lock the latter and connectediparts in their normal position. Latches or levers P are also provided with arms P3 adapted, as will presently appear, to be engaged bybailshaped frame E when the latter is oscillated 4o inwardly. i i

It will be observed that, in the normal position of the parts, bail-shaped frame E declines outwardly into close proximity to the rails of the track, so that,.in case of an obstruction on the track, said obstruction will be engaged by the central member of frame E and pushed along the track in advance of the fender or guard. The arrangement of parts is, however, such that should a person 5o or animal fall or be thrown in front of the motor, the fender or guard will pick up such person or animal and cause him or it to be thrown onto fabric G, resulting'in the depres-` sion of said fabric and, in the inward oscillation of bail-shaped frame E into engagement with arms P3 of levers or latches P, resulting in the actuation of said latches or levers to unlock, thereby releasing chains or connections L free to be Wound up by spring-actu- 6o ated drums M, and unwinding the curtain or apron from roller I as shown in Fig-2 and drawing said curtain or apron over or partially over the person or animal lodged upon the depressed orpocket-forming fabric G,.and`

6'5 the parts are automatically held `and locked in their operative position by hook-shaped arms P4 of levers P, which lever-arms P4 engage the `central member of frame E in said position of the parts, as shown in Fig. 2, and curtain or apron K and the chains or devices connecting said apron or curtain with drums M are locked inthe drawn position of said Iapronor curtain by the engagement of the dogs on the chains With notches a formed in frames A and in open relation with slots a in saidframes.

I would remark that fabric G is preferably netted, reticulated or perforated to accommodate the free passage of the air therethrough,

` so that the force of the wind shall not operate the guard or fender. I would also remark that the space within the triangular frames A is preferably closed bysome suitable fabric or material S to prevent the person orobject picked up by the fender or -guard from being dislodged through said frames.`

What I claim isi 1. In a fender or life-guard for locomotives and motor-cars, the combination of two triangular framesA A located a suitable distance apart, an oscillating frame E pivotally supported from the lower and outer ends of the aforesaid triangular frames, a piece of fabric or material G extending from the upper and inner end of the guard or fender to and connected with said oscillating-frame', a roller I suitably supported at the outerandlower end of the guard or fender anda curtain or apron K- attached to and normally wound upon said roller, chains or flexible connections L connected with said apron or curtain, springactuated spools, drums or suitable devices M for automatically winding up said flexible connections and unwinding the aforesaid apron or curtain, suitable mechanism forlocking the Working parts in their normal position against the action of the aforesaid spring-actuated de vices, said locking-mechanism being adapted to be actuated to unlock by a load brought to bear upon the aforesaid fabric or material G, substantially as set forth.

2. In a life-guard or fender for locomotives and motor-cars, the combination of triangular frames A A located a suitable distance apart., pivoted bail-shaped frame E, piece of reticulated, netted or perforated fabric or material G, roller I, curtain or apron K, chains or exible connections L provided `with dogs or pro jecting members O, spring-actuated spools, drums or devices M, and locking-levers or latches P having arms P2 P3 and P4, all arranged and operating, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fender or life-guard for locomotives and motor-cars, the combination of triangular `frames A A arranged a suitable distance apart and suitably connected and braced apart,said frames being slotted, as at ct,- and notched, as at a', bail-shaped frame E; piece of fabric or material G; roller I; apron or curtain K;

tof;

spring-actuated spools, drums or winding-de- In testimony whereof I sign this specifica- Vices M; chains L provided with dogs or protion, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 6th jecting-members O; latches or levers P proday of March, .1894.

vided with hook-shaped arms P2 and P4 and HENRY HENTHORNE. an arm P3, the parts being arranged and op- Witnesses: erating substantially as shown, for the pur- C. H. DORER,

pose specified. WARD HOOVER. l 

